The Washington critic., 1887-12-14

luncheon, locking my desk carefully,
according to my custom, before | went.
In the afternoon | was preparing to go
TO the bank, and, opening the desk, felt
for the notes in the corner where |
imagined | had placed them. could
not feel them, and, opening my desk TO
its widest extent, | looked with anxiety
in every corner, but, TO my horror, in
vain. At that moment the Junior part
ncr came up and asked me what made
me look so white. Was i'll? ] could
hardly gasp out.
THE notosl Lost
"lfc assisted mo in the search, but the
missing notes were not TO be found"
" 1T is very peculiar ] said.
at is indeed very peculiar, SAID
johnson, eyeing me in II strange, search
ing manner.
"Thcre was much excitement in the
office; every one was questioned and
cross-cxamined, but no information
could be obtained. Suffice IL to say that
my employers, forgetting my faithful
service of twenty years, asked me to re-
sign my appointment. No protestations
of mine were of any avail. They evil
IDENTIFY thought that had given way to
temptation, and / retired u broken
hearted man. IL was useless for me to
try for employment in the city with
such II grave suspicion resting on my
character. got rid of my house and
furniture and took this little cottage,
where have lived ever since.
"Now doyou want me to give you my
daughter?"
"Yes-a thousand times, yes I" said
Frank, jumping up and taking the weep
ing girl in his arms.
They had resumed their seats, and
were chatting about the city and COM
mercc Xhen Mr.. Emerton said:
81 wonder If my old tirm-Smith, Em-
nett Il Johnson--are still flourishingY'
"Whatw cried Frank, his eyes wide
open with astonishment. YOU mean
to say that your firm was actually Smith,
Emmett Il Johnsonw
eyes; do you know itP'
"Know i'll Why, it's mine. I've
been there nine years, and oh what u
STUPID, thick head | must have that IL
did not strike me ut once. You are Row.
lands?"
"What have you heard them speak
of mcY'
"Indeed; yes. Ours, as you know,
Mr.. Rowlands, is an old-fashioncd
house, with many curious hooks and
corners. Some three years ago the gov
ernors resolved to have the office fitted
up in the modern style. We had to
crowd bit, and to use one part of the
Office while the workmen altered the
other. Almost the first thing they did
was to pull down what must have
been your old desk, and the wans-
coting to which it was fixed.
One of the partners was looking
on and ] heard his loud exclamation
40 ,,;g ,,rt
was taken from the wall. He had
stopped to pick up u bundle of papers
covered with dust. They must have
been between the bricks and woodwork
+ for many years. His exclamation was
!, caused by the discovery that this bundle
of papers was package of banknQtes.'
"Thank Heaven-thank Heaven!
. see il ALL" cried the old man.
: "But why didn't you call after the
governors advertised for your
81 saw advertisement. Men out OF
the world as have been seldom look ai
Advertisements except when they want
work"
"What a pity! The old governor
said he'd givea thousand pounds to find
you."
Frank lost no time in obtaining pri-
vate interview with his employers, one
satisfactory result being that he had an
advance in salary before he left the
room. 1t was not long before Smith q
Co. had done all they possibly could tc
compensate their old servant for his
past misfortune.
AS to what happened afterwards tc
Frank and Mary, | have little to say
Last summer ! spent a day at theii
suburban villa some few miles from
Broad street. Mrs. Denton was mos,
amiable hostess; her father and mother
seemed as happy as old people without
Il care in the world ought to be. had
the pleasure of riding Master Frank
Emmett Denton ON my knees, and as FOL
Frank, senior, he coniided to me in the
garden that since he had been married
he was the ''laziest beggar cut" and
hardly ever went anywhere except on
business.
O. 4.